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Here comes Big Brother
Regarding the Dec. 26 article “State testing ‘road user charge’”: When has the Washington State Transportation Commission ever hesitated to justify a gas tax increase to receive more revenue? They don’t seem to have any problem finding $2 billion to tunnel two miles in downtown Seattle. After all, why obstruct the view of the rich resident on the waterfront?
The $3.8 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration to study a “road use charge” is just the start of another federal/state bureaucratic power grab. Starting with limited intrusion then progressing to complete control, the following scenario could become reality.
First, how many miles you traveled? Second, where you traveled? Third, when you traveled? Fourth, why you traveled? Fifth, monitoring your driving performance and habits (with penalties for any violation of their rules). Sixth, justifying future travel. Seventh, and lastly, their final goal, to control all travel, requiring state permission to travel anywhere.
Big Brother at their best.
Joe Bean
Wilbur